Thursday, January 29, 2009

My Happy Place

I used to work with a gal who would jokingly say she was going to retreat to her Happy Place. She didn't really describe it but it seemed to make her happy to talk about it.

I've never had a Happy Place although I'd sometimes try to imagine what it would be. It most certainly would not have anything to do with a beach or an island--or a foreign destination. Thoughts of winning the lottery triggered Happy Speculations but not really a place I could retreat to. Nothing concrete would come to mind.

For the past week, I've been fighting a bad cold and coasting through my days trying to regain my energy. Then a few days ago I realized that when I'm on my computer and blogging or checking emails in the morning, I feel pretty good. When I finished and went to have some lunch, however, I'd crash. My energy level would bottom out and I'd have to take a 2-hour nap.

So, it seems that My Happy Place is at the computer! When I am here I'm being productive and interacting (sort of) but most of all I'm comfortable and content. Now, that's what a Happy Place is all about!

6 comments:

I have a small room, actually meant for storage, behind the water heater, under the entry stairs.

It is my quiet/prayer/journaling room. Ceiling hight four feet. Five by five. (My husband calls it the hobbit hole.) But he loves to tease me.

It is not only a happy place, but sometimes it hold the cares of the world too. The comfort I take in this place makes me happy.

I have my candles and sweet grass, and sage that I burn. I also have one of my native American flutes I keep in there to play when the mood strikes.

Other wise I play them all over the house.

I love my house. It's not a big house, but it's homey and comfortable. The main floor is up stairs so we call it our tree house because we have 18 trees on our 1/3 acer, and we're at eye level with them.

I'm not a good person to ask this question of, as my husband says I'm an incorrigible optimist, so I have to say something about my business too, that is a happy place for me as well.

A friend of mine pointed me to a counseling website which had a piece about having a "Happy Place". I'm not suggesting you need counseling (the counselor has retired anyway), but the link I'm providing does offer a way to find your Happy Place.

My Happy Place is very rustic. Contact with the Outside World is impossible, and the Outside World doesn't even know this place exists. It is safe, and comfortable - and Happy! Often, I don't accomplish a thing there - beyond talking with Jesus and relaxing with some nothing projects. Sometimes I don't even do that. I'm just there.

A happy place would be for me...where my corgi kids are, where a cup of hot tea, and a good book are waiting to be enjoyed, where smiles come easy, where breaths can be deep, where acceptance is total.A scented candle, or firelight on the hearth, music in the background to inspire or relax, rain pattering on the roof, or huge fluttery snowflakes outside the window. Bird song on a summer's day, and a black velvet sky with bright starlight, and a campfire on a cool night.

Corgi Dog Mama, You triggered a memory from ten years ago when a friend and I took a tour of England. As you know, the Queen is wild about corgis and has a lot of them. The tour group was at Windsor Castle standing by a gate that was the entrance to a grassy quad. The guide was telling us that the Queen didn't like Buckingham Palace and spent every weekend at Windsor. Philip had declared that only 2 dogs could ride in the car on the trip. The rest of the Cogris had to go by separate car. As we are learning this, a big shiny black Land Rover pulls up and several guards swing open the gate,and the car drives up to the far corner where the Queen's apartments are. Several chauffer-types get out and open the car doors. Oodles of Corgis come bursting out running in all directions and barking. The whole tour group was laughing. The little dogs were quickly rounded up and the show was over. But it made a delightful memory.

About Me

I'm a big fan of my home state of Minnesota, especially because all of my kids and grandkids live here. I'm retired but keep busy with puttering, volunteering and writer's groups. I have three well-loved kitties who keep me smiling. I am surrounded by trees and wildlife even though I live within a few miles (as the crow flies) of the state capitol building in downtown St Paul. This keeps me quite contented.